"Hmm?!" Just as Kaire was feeling puzzled by Robert's various abnormal performances during their battle, he suddenly sensed another powerful presence. This made Kaire immediately alert because he remembered Robert muttering about reinforcements earlier.
With a loud "Bang!", Robert, in the midst of the battle, keenly noticed Kaire's distraction. He didn't let the opportunity slip and delivered a punch that sent Kaire flying. A light spray of blood fell from the air. This was the first time Robert had truly injured Kaire in their fight!
"Damn it!" Kaire hadn't expected that just a momentary lapse of attention would be seized by Robert. Although it wasn't the first time Robert had knocked him away, it was indeed the first time he had been genuinely hurt.
Previously, Robert had managed to send Kaire flying, but those instances hadn't actually harmed him. It was merely because Kaire hadn't been prepared and failed to properly deflect Robert's power.
However, this time, being injured made Kaire instantly furious. He had no idea who Robert was or what his background was. Before coming to Earth, Kaire had only one conceived opponent in mind: the Ancient One. Apart from the Ancient One, Kaire had dismissed everyone else on Earth as inconsequential. He hadn't anticipated that he would suffer a setback and get injured by Robert before even encountering the Ancient One.
As anger surged within him, a terrifying aura emanated from Kaire's body. The surrounding air grew colder, and an invisible, icy storm began to gather around him.
A typical opponent, facing such a cold storm, would either retreat or be slowed down by the intense chill, their body becoming sluggish. Unfortunately for Kaire, Robert, in his berserk state, was uncontrollable. He charged straight at Kaire, astonishing and confusing him as Robert once again sent Kaire flying with a punch.
Of course, rushing through the terrifying deceleration of the cold storm wasn't without consequences. Robert sustained significant injuries from the cold as he charged through, but he didn't mind, considering the trade-off worthwhile. Especially in terms of momentum, Robert had clearly gained the upper hand!
Robert not only stalled Kaire's previous anger but also directly interrupted Kaire's counterattack. After sending Kaire flying with a punch, Robert quickly followed up, continuing his assault even as blood spattered. For the first time in their battle, Robert managed to stabilize the situation, no longer allowing Kaire to dominate completely.
This turn of events was largely thanks to Clark's arrival. Yes, the powerful presence Kaire sensed was none other than Clark. Jarvis had contacted Clark, and given his capabilities, finding and arriving at the battle scene was effortless. After all, the area was merely clouded with dust due to the ongoing battle, not hidden in another dimension, so there was no way Clark's keen eyes could miss it.
Robert was also aware of Clark's arrival. However, as long as Clark didn't take over his fight with Kaire, it didn't really matter. Clark's presence could be seen as additional support.
"Why are they fighting like this? Where's the Ancient One?" Clark frowned as he surveyed the situation. Feeling the earth-shaking impacts of the battle, he glanced towards Kamar-Taj but didn't see the Ancient One, which made him wonder.
Clark recalled the powerful presence from another dimension he had sensed before, likely orchestrated by the Ancient One. But since that incident seemed resolved, neither he nor Robert had pursued the matter further.
Yet, with Robert and Kaire locked in such a fierce battle and the Ancient One nowhere to be seen, Clark started to suspect that something might have gone wrong with the Ancient One.
"We can't just let them keep fighting like this. If this continues, the entire area will collapse, followed by all of America, and eventually the whole continent and Earth…" Clark, unable to spot the Ancient One at Kamar-Taj, turned his gaze back to the intense battle between Robert and Kaire, his thoughts racing.
In the battle between Robert and Kaire, Clark could clearly see that Kaire was extremely powerful, even slightly stronger than the current, barely holding his own, Robert. While Kaire wasn't as strong as Clark himself, even Clark wouldn't be able to end the fight quickly if he intervened.
Moreover, Clark could sense the demonic aura emanating from Kaire. He knew Kaire was a being from a hellish dimension, possessing incredible resilience, making him very difficult to kill.
This meant that the battle between Robert and Kaire was just beginning in the grand scheme of things. Ending it might not be possible even if Earth were to be destroyed.
While Robert couldn't survive in space for long, he could endure briefly, making it possible for him to battle Kaire until Earth was obliterated.
But Clark couldn't stand by and watch Earth be destroyed. This left him in a quandary, torn between intervening in the battle or heading to Kamar-Taj to find the Ancient One to open a mirror dimension.
"What's that?" Just as Clark was deliberating, he noticed various aircraft and drones approaching the battle's epicenter, trying to understand what was happening through the smoke and dust.
Unfortunately, these people overestimated their technology's power. Around the battle, nothing could remain intact. The dust was merely residual from Robert's explosive fire and Kaire's freezing energy, far sturdier than any technological construct.
As soon as those aircraft and drones appeared, they were shattered by the shockwaves of Robert and Kaire's battle, unable to gather any useful information. This was true regardless of whether it was Avengers' technology or any other official agencies' technology—none could make a difference.
"Tony, you should all go back. Don't get too close; it's dangerous here." Soon, Clark spotted Tony Stark and his team approaching. He frowned. While Tony Stark and the others could observe battles of this magnitude, they had no place in such a high-level conflict. Even Tony Stark's most durable armor wouldn't withstand the shockwaves of this battle. Hence, Clark decisively urged them to retreat.
"What's happening?" Tony Stark, realizing the gravity of the situation, asked worriedly, "Jarvis has estimated that the impact radius of the battle is continually expanding. It's only a matter of time before it affects all of America and even Earth. Can you end this quickly?"
"The fight isn't mine; it's the Saiyan's. Even if I join, it's not easy to eliminate this opponent quickly. He's probably a hellish overlord who managed to descend to Earth somehow…" Clark wasn't privy to all the details of what had transpired, but from the distant sounds of battle involving Serdar, he could piece together part of the truth.
"What about the mirror dimension? Hasn't the Ancient One appeared?" Hearing that the situation wasn't optimistic, Tony Stark frowned, his eyes filled with concern. He had to admit that their and the Avengers' current capabilities were far from adequate. Even Earth's existence seemed precarious now.
"I haven't seen her. I'll go find her now. Remember to stay far from the battle zone. Oh, there's another battle over there—Constantine is fighting a hellish demon. You might be able to help out there…" Clark quickly disappeared, heading towards Kamar-Taj.
"Another battle?" Tony Stark and his team were taken aback. Before they could react, Jarvis's voice chimed in, "The Saiyan and Constantine previously discovered those hellish demons. One wasn't dealt with and has been lingering until now…"
"Is it him? He hasn't died yet? Does this mean he summoned the hellish overlord?" With Jarvis's reminder, Tony Stark and the others recalled the earlier incident involving the competition among hellish demons. This spurred them into action, hurrying to the other battlefield.
Indeed, a hellish demon's destructive power was far less than a hellish overlord's. But mishandling it could still result in significant devastation. It would be disastrous if they resolved one battle only for the other to go awry.
On the other side, just as Hellboy had left, he didn't waste any time because he also understood how dangerous a hellish demon could be, especially one that might escape again.
Unquestionably, a hidden hellish demon is far more dangerous than one who reveals themselves, as no one would know their presence or predict their actions.
However, to Hellboy's surprise, Serdar was still in the church, engaged with Constantine. Constantine, now exposed, wore a bitter expression. He certainly didn't want to face the terrifying Serdar alone, but Robert had left him with a stern command to keep Serdar occupied until either he or Hellboy returned.
Forced to comply, Constantine had to use his trump cards, exposing himself fully. Previously, Hellboy's presence had diverted some of Serdar's attention, allowing Constantine to stay hidden. But now, with Hellboy gone and the task of holding Serdar falling entirely on him, staying hidden was no longer an option.
"Constantine?!" Serdar, upon seeing Constantine, felt a flash of anger. He recognized Constantine as someone infamous in both the supernatural and dark realms of Earth, as well as in various dimensions, including hell.
"You dare provoke me? Who gave you the courage? Aren't you afraid of death?" Serdar growled, his eyes fixed on Constantine.
"To be honest, I don't want to be here either. I just need to keep you here. How about we both stand down and wait for the big shots to finish their fight?" Constantine suggested weakly, smiling obsequiously at Serdar.
"Big shots? Who's backing you that dares to tangle with a hellish overlord? Could it be that Hellboy's backing someone?" Serdar, who had been about to attack, paused upon hearing Constantine's words. He had no idea who was behind Constantine. If it was someone powerful enough to scheme against a hellish overlord, it
would warrant serious consideration.
"Yes, there's indeed a significant figure behind us. This is a clash between your lord and them. We small fries have no need to sacrifice ourselves, do we?" Constantine, unlike Hellboy, saw no need to waste a good excuse. He smiled and nodded, suggesting to Serdar.
"Which lord is behind you?" Serdar fell silent, pondering over Constantine's words. He didn't know who might be backing Constantine and how their power compared to his lord. Thus, he couldn't decide on a stance easily.
After all, Constantine was a nuisance. If his lord won and found out that Serdar hadn't dealt with Constantine, he'd undoubtedly be angry. Conversely, if Constantine's lord won, Serdar's current indecision could lead to repercussions from Constantine.
So, Serdar thought the best option was to kill Constantine outright, then hide and watch the battle's outcome. If it favored him, he could emerge to claim credit. If not, he could simply flee…
"My lord is… Holy crap?!" Constantine had no idea Serdar was merely trying to distract him. Fortunately, as a seasoned operator in the supernatural realm, he always had a backup plan. As Serdar attempted a sneak attack, Constantine managed to evade using his hidden trump cards. Just then, Hellboy returned to the scene.
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